If you exercise, you will stay in shape, and your muscles will be just fine, right? Well, that seems to be the conventional wisdom. However, sometimes due to health and natural factors, such as aging and childbirth, your muscle strength may start deteriorating. Pelvic floor dysfunction is the inability to properly relax and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles to have bowel movements. That said, are there any exercises that can help with this condition by improving the integrity of these muscles? Here’s everything you need to know about pelvic floor dysfunction exercise.
This is a fairly common condition where you can’t properly relax and coordinate the muscles in your pelvic floor. As a result, this affects your ability to urinate or have any kind of bowel movement. Sometimes for women, you may experience pain during sex. However, for men, this can sometimes manifest itself as erectile dysfunction (5).
Your pelvic floor comprises muscles found at the base of the bottom of your torso. To put it in perspective, your pelvis hosts your uterus, prostate, bladder, and rectum. On the other hand, the pelvic floor is a base support structure that keeps everything where they’re supposed to be. Some of these muscles increase stability by forming a sling around your rectum (5).
In ideal situations, going to the bathroom doesn’t usually involve any difficulties. That’s because your body can tighten and relax these muscles as needed. So everything is just perfect, right?
However, things change a bit when you have pelvic floor dysfunction. More specifically, your body continually relaxes your pelvic floor muscles without relaxing them. As a result of this tension, you may start experiencing (5):
That being said, what causes pelvic floor dysfunction? Is it just a health condition, or are there other factors in play? We find out next.
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Research is still ongoing to determine the exact causes of pelvic floor dysfunction. Doctors, however, have linked it to events that tend to generally weaken your pelvic muscles or tear its connective tissue.
Some of the known factors, in this case, include (5):
First off, you should not try to self-diagnose your symptoms. This is because they may serve as an indicator of a more serious condition. Usually, your doctor reviews your medical history while observing your symptoms. This will then be followed by physical evaluations that check for muscle spasms, knots, and weakness.
When checking for your ability to control your pelvic muscles and contraction, an internal exam may be performed. This is usually done by putting a perimeter into your vagina or rectum. Other fewer alternatives include placing electrodes on your perineum to check if you’re able to contract and relax your pelvic muscles.
On the issue of treatment, regardless of the option used, the goal is similar. That is to relax your pelvic muscles, thus giving you more control and making bowel movements easier. Sure, surgery is an option, however, there are some less invasive treatment options available.
One of the most common treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction is biofeedback. This procedure allows your doctor to monitor contractions and relaxations in your pelvic muscles via special sensors. After these observations, they are then able to advise you on how best to improve your condition.
Other treatment alternatives include:
That being said, how effective is exercise as a preventive or a curative measure for pelvic floor dysfunction? Maybe you’re wondering, “can I exercise if I have a pelvic floor dysfunction?” Well, yes, you can, but you need to know the right workouts to use since some may just make things worse.
That said, what exactly is the relationship between pelvic floor dysfunction and exercise? Sure, techniques like Kegels won’t do much to help with the condition once it sets in. However, they can be really instrumental as a preventive measure.
This is because they require muscle contraction while the goal is to relax your muscles. But they can really strengthen your pelvic muscles and can ultimately help you avoid pelvic floor dysfunction. So next, we look at how you can strengthen your pelvic floor with Kegels.
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Kegel exercises are muscle contractions on your pelvic floor. They are particularly famed for their role in strengthening pelvic floor muscles, creating a domino of health benefits (9).
Have you been wondering how to do Kegels the right way using the proper form? Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Now, Kegels can sometimes be difficult to pull off for some people. If that’s the case for you, then you should try:
Finally, you shouldn’t consistently use Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. That’s because it may result in incomplete emptying of your bladder, putting you at risk of contracting urinary tract infections (4).
Just like all other workouts, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. While effective, Kegels may not always work for everyone due to several factors. That, however, doesn’t mean that there are no alternatives you can use to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. There are quite a few, and we look at some of them in the next section.
Read More: Best Pelvic Floor Exercises: 7 Moves To Strengthen Your Muscles
There are several options you can use to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles if you’re struggling with Kegels. Performing these exercises in different combinations is the best way to yield maximum results. Given the variety available, you should pick moves that you’re most comfortable and familiar with.
Below are some of the top workouts you can try to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles:
This is a stability and balance exercise that engages several muscles simultaneously, including the pelvic floor (2).
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Squats are one the best exercises out there when it comes to strength gains. This is probably because it engages some of the largest muscles in your body including your hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps (3). You should, however, make sure that you have mastered the correct form before adding any resistance.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
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Bridges are usually great workouts for your glutes. However, if you do it correctly, it can also activate your pelvic floor muscles. This workout can be just as effective with or without weights.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Tabletops are leg movements that are usually the foundation of several moves in a pilates workout. When you add some splits to the equation, your hip and pelvic floor muscles are also activated.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Some of the benefits that can be realized from pelvic floor exercises include:
Pelvic floor dysfunction can be caused by several factors. It can also manifest itself in different levels of severity. You should, therefore, always seek professional medical advice when you start experiencing any of the mentioned symptoms.
However, some relaxation and stretching exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor and help reduce these symptoms. The beauty of these exercises is that there’s a wide variety to choose from. So if Kegels are just not your thing, tabletops, bridges, squats, and bird dogs may be just what you need. Finally, always remember to use the proper form and take enough breaks between the workouts.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!